Self-locking container



April 1966 B. M. NOLEN 3,244,355

SELF-LOCKING CONTAINER Filed July 29, 1964 INVENTOR Ben M. Nolen ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,244,355 SELF-LOCKING CONTAINER Ben M. Nolen, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Fleming 8; Sons, Inc., Dallas, T ex., a corporation of Texas Filed July 29, 1964, Ser. No. 385,956 6 Claims. (1. 22945) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in self-locking containers.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved container of the folding type which has novel self-locking closure means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improvide self-locking container having overlapping closure panels coacting to form one of the walls thereof, one of the closure panels having an integral flap adapted to extend through a slot in the other of said closure panels in such manner as to positively lock said closure panels to one another.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an improved container, of the character described, wherein the locking flap is made integral with the inner closure panel and is bendable into overlying relation to the outer" closure panel and has a tongue which is adapted to bridge the slot of said outer panel to securely fasten said inner and outer panels to one another.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved self-locking container, of the character described, wherein the locking flap is formed from the material of the inner closure panel so as to .be disposed wholly within the confines of said panel and thereby obviate waste in excess of normal.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved container, of the character described, wherein the overlapping closure panels are arranged in opposed pairs of inner and outer panels and wherein the outer panels have alined slots for receiving the locking flaps which are formed on both of the inner panels.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one end portion of the container with its closure panels in partially opened position,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, perspective view of the locking flap of one of the inner closure panels bent outwardly for insertion through the slots of the outer closure panels,

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FlG. 2, with the closure panels in locked position, and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

In the drawing, the numeral designates a foldable, rectangular container, of paperboard or other suitable bendable sheet maten'al, having a pair of opposed longitudinal side walls 11 and a pair of opposed end or transverse side walls 12. A bottom wall for the container is formed by two or more bottom panels 13 and 14 hinged in the usual manner to the walls 11 and 12, said walls also being hingedly connected. The top wall of the container is provided by the coaction of overlapping closure panels 15 and 15 which are arranged in opposed pairs, with the outer or overlying panels 15 being hinged to the upper margins of the side walls 11 and the inner or underlying panels 16 being hinged to the upper margins of the end walls 12. Preferably, each of the outer closure panels 15 has a transverse width 3,244,355 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 substantially one-half the transverse width of the end walls so as to span the space between the side walls and substantially conceal the inner closure panels 16; however, said panels 15 need not be of equal width.

At least one, preferably both, of the inner closure panels 16 has a locking flap 17 integral with and extending longitudinally of its outer margin. The locking flap is formed by a pair of transverse cuts or slits 18, which extend inwardly from the outer margin of the inner panel in parallel, spaced relation, and by a pair of closelyspaced, parallel perforations or grease or score lines 19 extending perpendicularly between the inner ends of the slits and longitudinally of said panel (FIG. 2). A longitudinal slit 20, of appreciable length, interrupts the major medial portions of the score lines 19 and is ofiset inwardly thereof to provide a tab or tongue 21 which is elongated longitudinally of the flap 17. As shown by the numeral 22, the ends of the tongue 21 are formed by transverse slits which extend across the score lines and slit 20 and which may have arcuate portions merging with the ends of said slit so as to provide said tongue with bevelled corners 23. The ends of the locking flap and the adjacent port-ions of the inner closure panel may have similar bevelled corners 24. It is noted that the locking flap is disposed wholly within the confines of the inner closure panel whereby its outer margin is flush with the outer margin of said panel.

Alined transverse slots 25 extend inwardly from the outer margins of the outer closure panels .15 for receiving each locking flap 17. Although not shown, only two closure panels may be employed whereby only one locking flap and slot would be required. After the container is erected, the inner closure panels 16 are folded inwardly so as to overlie the contents of said container (FIG. 2). Each locking flap is bent upwardly on the innermost score line 19 so as to extend perpendicularly to its panel (FIG. 3). Next, the outer closure panels are folded inwardly into overlying relation to the inner closure panels, with each upright locking flap projecting through the alined slots 25. Then, each locking flap is bent downwardly on the outermost score line so as to overlie the outer closure panels (FIG. 4 and 5). It is necessary to force the tongue 21 of each flap through the slots in order that said tongue also overlies the outer closure panels to securely fasten said panels to the underlying inner closure panel as well as bridge said slots. This may be accomplished by slightly depressing the outer closure panels. It is noted that the closure panels and the locking flap or flaps may be applied to any of the walls of the container and is not limited to the top wall thereof. Due to the simplicity of the latch provided by the locking flap or flaps, it is apparent that the container may be readily opened and closed. Since the locking flaps are formed from the material of the inner closure panels 16, there is no waste of material in excess of the usual amount involved in containers of same general type which are known in the trade as regular slotted containers.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A self-locking container including bottom, side and top walls, overlapping closure panels forming one of the Walls, a locking flap hinged to the outer margin of the first of the closure panels for bending into parallel relation thereto, the second of said closure panels having a narrow slot for receiving the locking flap and permitting bending of said flap into overlying relation to said second closure panel, and catch means on the inner margin of vsaid overlying flap and catch means engaging the same surface of said second closure panel and coacting to bridge the slot.

2. A self-locking containeras set forth in claim ll wherein the locking flap and catch means are disposed wholly within theflconfinestof ,the first of the closure panels.

3. A self-locking container including bottom, side and .topwalls, overlapping closure panels forming one of the Wallsand arranged in opposed pairs of inner and outer coacting panels, a locking flap hinged to the outer margin of .at, least one of the inner panels for outward bending ,into parallel relation thereto, at least one of the outer closure panels having a narrow slot for receiving the locking flap and permitting bending of said flap into overlying relation to saidouter closure panel, and a tongue on the inner margin of said locking flap and severed fromsaid inner closure panel for movement with said flap into overlying relation to said outer closure panel .to securely fasten said closure panels to each other, the tongue extendinginwardly of the hinge connection of said locking flap to said inner closure panel so as to swing inwardly ofsaid closure panels upon outward bending of-said flap about the axis of said hinge connection and bendable outwardly through the slot after said out- .ward bending of said flap, said overlying flap and tongue engaging the same surface of said outer closure panel and coacting to bridge said slot.

4. A self-locking container as set forth in claim 3 wherein the locking flap and tongue are disposed wholly within the confines of the inner closure panel and have theirends severed therefrom.

5. A self-locking container as set forth in claim 3 wherein the slot includes coact-ing alined portions in both of the outer closure panels.

6. A self-locking container including bottom, side and top walls, overlapping closure panels forming one of the walls and arranged in opposed pairs of inner and outer coacting panels, a locking flap hinged tothe outer margin of each of the inner panels for outward bending into parallel relation thereto, the outer closure panels having alined narrow slots for receiving the locking flaps and permitting outward bending of said flap into overlying relation to said outer closure panels, and a tongue on the inner margin of each locking flap and severed from each of said inner closure panels for movement with said flap into overlying relation to said outer closure panels to securely fasten said closure panels to one another, each tongue extending inwardly of the hinge connection of each locking flap to its inner closure panel so as to swing in- Wardly of said closure panels upon outward bending of the flap'about the axis of its hinge connection and bendable outiwardly through each slot after said outward bending of said flap, each overly-ing lap and tongue engaging the same surfaces of said outer closure panels and coacting to bridge each slot.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,669,454 5/ 1928 Close 229-39 2,060,240 11/ 1936 Pergande 22939 2,151,733 3/1939 Bonfield 229-39 2,186,777 1/1940 Best 22939 FOREIGN PATENTS 951,971 3/ 1957 Germany.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. A SELF-LOCKING CONTAINER INCLUDING BOTTOM, SIDE AND TOP WALLS, OVERLAPPING CLOSURE PANELS FORMING ONE OF THE WALLS, A LOCKING FLAP HINGED TO THE OUTER MARGIN OF THE FIRST OF THE CLOSURE PANELS FOR BENDING INTO PARALLEL RELATION THERETO, THE SECOND OF SAID CLOSURE PANELS HAVING A NARROW SLOT FOR RECEIVING THE LOCKING FLAP AND PERMITTING BENDING OF SAID FLAP INTO OVERLYING RELATION TO SAID SECOND CLOSURE PANEL, AND CATCH MEANS ON THE INNER MARGIN OF SAID LOCKING FLAP AND SEPARATED FROM SAID FIRST CLOSURE PANEL FOR MOVEMENT WITH SAID FLAP INTO OVERLYING RELATION TO SAID SECOND CLOSURE PANEL TO SECURELY FASTEN SAID 